Want to try a tri? A first time triathlete's survival guide

There's something about pushing your body to the limit in three different events that gets thousands of people donning a lycra suit each year to tick a triathlon off their bucket list.

But given it requires fitness and endurance in swimming, cycling and running, knowing where to begin can be daunting.

We spoke to triathlon coach Graeme Hill from Triathlon Australia for a handy beginner's guide to get you off to a good start.

Get enticed

You're no doubt familiar with the epic distances of Ironman events (3.86km swim, 180.2km ride, 42.2km run), but there are plenty of Enticer triathlons designed so you can have a go without ending up in the ER.

They can be as little as a 200m swim, 2km cycle and 1km run, and once you've got comfy doing those you could make a sprint distance (750m swim, 20km ride and 5km run) your goal.

"Doing an Ironman is a fairly heavy commitment on the person and their family, so we encourage people to get in a routine of training and use the shorter distances to establish what is sustainable for them long term," Hill says.

Join a club

There are tri clubs all over Australia that not only make training for the solo event more social and fun, but can also hook you up with a coach to make sure your technique is on point and you have a game plan for each event.

"Most clubs provide some training sessions per week," Hill says.

"You'll meet some people that are probably on the same journey as you and the group training environment is much more motivating than training by yourself."

Hill says four weeks would be enough preparation to get you ready for an Enticer event.

"I'm not talking about hours and hours of training per day – probably somewhere between 15 and 40 minutes," he says.

"Coaching is a real advantage for someone who wants to continue doing triathlons – your coach will understand what demand a particular event is going to place on you and will be able to give you strategies around how to manage your expectations and deal with the experience."

No need to splurge

Triathlon has a reputation for being an expensive sport, but Hill says you definitely don't need to buy the most expensive, aerodynamic gear.

"Grab your mountain bike and don't get caught up in all that stuff," he says.

"A local bike shop can have a look at your bike and make sure it's roadworthy and safe."

While the pros will be wearing lycra tri-suits, there's nothing to stop newbies from wearing boardies and a singlet or T-shirt.

"You are not allowed to have a bare torso – but that's the only limitation," Hill says.

Prepare for transitions

Hill recommends going along to watch an event before your first competition so you can see what happens in the transition from swim to bike and bike to run.

"It can be pretty crazy in there with lots of people buzzing around," Hill says.

"You coach will help create process for you to work through."

One important rule to note is that you can't touch your bike unless your helmet is on and done up.

"The more competitive people practice their transitions for speed and process under pressure, but for a new person, it's just about making sure you go through the checklist so you don't forget anything – don't rush too much," Hill says.

If you're keen to try a tri, head to New To Tri for Australian event and club information.